


A Curious Case of Achromatopsia

by seasaltslumber (93rdfragment)



Series: Triumph [6]
Category: EXO (Band), Mamamoo
Genre: Aromantic Character(s), Bisexual Character(s), Color Blindness, Crossdressing, F/M, Gay Male Character, LGBTQ Themes, M/M, Polysexual Character, queer platonic relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-25 23:52:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9852572
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/93rdfragment/pseuds/seasaltslumber
Summary: Do Kyungsoo lives in a monochrome world. As he grows as a person, something peculiar happens and he's left more than a little confused. In spite of this, he finds himself.





	

The world is monochrome - every nook and cranny. At least, that is what they explain. These _shades_ paint scenes of _black_ , _white_ , and _grey_. Writings always express how dreary such a world is. Maybe it is. But it’s _beautiful_ and _complex_.

“Red?” The occasional whisper emerges from the humdrum of crowd chattering. Sometimes an answer bubbles up, almost bursting out, “Yes, red. Or so everyone says. I’m not all too sure because of my _condition_.” Maybe rip out the supposed red glasses which isn’t a good idea while dealing with photophobia.

Irritation from days of youth have mellowed to a standstill with the occasional stress-induced almost breakdowns. Do Kyungsoo passes the days by with ebbing emotions. The monotony of his life is monochrome. Maybe, it’s as red as his glasses - most likely the dull hues of it and not the vibrant reds he reads about. Boredom seeps into his bones in spite of the okayness of his everyday. His family and doctor will most likely dismiss this as a feeling of inferiority among _normal_ people.

A huff of annoyance escapes him at the thought. They don’t understand. He walks into his apartment building, greeting the guard with a nod and smile. Even before he’s near his door, he can hear his roommate singing. It fills him with fondness. In spite of his knack for solitude, Byun Baekhyun continues to bombard his life with zeal.

“Any louder and the whole building will hear you,” he snipes as he opens the door. “I’d rather not get complained at by the neighbors again.”

Baekhyun turns away from his laptop to grin. “You say that but just yesterday, Miss Kim wouldn’t stop praising me and even invited me to sing at one of their get togethers.”

“Old lady Miss Kim from right next door? That doesn’t count. She treats us like her grandchildren.” Kyungsoo waves a dismissive hand as he walks over to the small kitchen, putting the groceries away. “Now if Mr. Lee sings you praises, that’s a feat.”

“If he does, are you cooking for the whole month?” Baekhyun twirls his pen around, excited for the challenge.

“No, Baek. I absolutely will not get into bets with you again.” The memory of their last one puts a grimace to Kyungsoo’s face.

Raucous laughter fills the small apartment. Baekhyun wheezes out, “That was amazing. For me. Ahh, I still have pictures.”

The temptation to throw something at his friend is great but Kyungsoo refrains from such violence. He does lightly smack Baekhyun’s head as he walks by. It feels good to be treated this way - such a carefree attitude.

“By the way, I’m going on a date tonight!” Baekhyun lets out a whoop of exhilaration. He twirls the seat around now. “Hyejin finally agreed to go on a date with me.”

“She’s dating way below her level.” Kyungsoo shakes his head with a grin as he sits down across his friend. He laughs at the affronted expression he receives.

However, it melts into agreement. Baekhyun nods solemnly. “Yeah. She’s way beyond me. But I’ve got one date with her.”

This time, Kyungsoo throws a piece of crumpled paper at the sullen figure. “Get your head together. I don’t say this as often as I probably should but you’re a great guy. You’re funny and optimistic. And you treat people well. If she’s going on a date with you, that means she sees something good in you. Don’t belittle her choice by belittling yourself.”

The genuinely happy smile that shines upon his friend’s face makes Kyungsoo think he’s said the right words. Good, he nods to himself. Baekhyun replies, “Thanks. I think I needed that.”

“Well, you definitely need me to knock some sense into you. Otherwise, you’ll still be bumming out in college.” Kyungsoo relaxes into the couch, closing his eyes. He feels the tiredness from going to work and then buying groceries.

“Hmm, that’s true.” Baekhyun turns back to his laptop. The project he’s working on is almost done. Just in time for him to get ready for his date.

Minutes later, Kyungsoo opens his eyes again as Baekhyun lets out a big sigh of relief. “Done?”

“Done.” Baekhyun gives two thumbs up with a satisfied grin. The expression morphs into one of pondering. “Hey, it’s a Friday. Do you want to go on a double date? You get along well with Wheein.”

Kyungsoo raises his eyebrow in response. “I think you’re forgetting an important thing here.”

Baekhyun scrunches his face. Kyungsoo will never admit outright that the expression is as adorable as a puppy. “Oh come on. I’m 100% sure that not being interested in romance doesn’t mean you can’t hang out!”

“Hanging out is different from going on a date. Do you need to take language classes again? I think your vocabulary is less than a 5th grader’s.” A laugh threatens to slip out loudly from Kyungsoo’s lips especially as Baekhyun looks affronted yet again.

“I’ll have you know I aced all my language classes. Thank you very much.” Baekhyun retaliates by sticking his tongue out. “And yeah. Okay. I said date. Let’s not call it a date then. Hang out with her. Hang out with someone other than me. I know I’m such great company but you need to get out of here.”

A moment of silence passes them by. Kyungsoo’s well aware of his constant aversion of the world outside their apartment. He doesn’t feel comfortable with the fast pace and boisterous environment most of the time. The harsh sunlight and other bright lights don’t endear him either.

“I like it here,” he grumbles eventually.

Baekhyun points at him with determination. “One of these days, you _will_ get out of here for reasons other than work and groceries.”

“Find me something of interest and maybe I will.” Kyungsoo replies unthinkingly. He wants to take it back as soon as the words leave him. It’s never good to challenge Baekhyun. His friend has a knack for tenacity and overcoming challenges. The triumphant grin is quite telling.

“Soon, Kyungsoo. Soon!” Laughter of the evil genius kind echoes as Baekhyun stalks away. Kyungsoo shakes his head in resignation.

 

Let it not be said that Byun Baekhyun does not fulfill promises. Kyungsoo finds himself in a sequestered bistro, overwhelmed by good music and dim lighting. It’s wonderful. Baekhyun guides him to the relaxing couches. A few people are sitting in the area with laptops and several papers or books out. The scene takes him back to college days in numerous coffee shops.

“I know,” Baekhyun breaks the silence. “I’m awesome. Plus, their food is so good.”

Two hands raise up in defeat. Kyungsoo says in fondness, “This is why I will never bet against you ever again.”

“At least, I have one smart friend. Chanyeol and Jongdae haven’t had enough beat downs on their egos. More money for me.” Baekhyun’s grin holds a conspiratorial edge. Kyungsoo is sure his friend has earned a lot of money through the losses of those two. For a moment, he feels bad for them.

Kyungsoo relaxes into the couch as Baekhyun orders for both of them. He glances around to see a small stage set up at a corner. It’s not hard to guess the bistro holds open mic sessions. Hopefully, there’ll be interesting entertainment tonight. Maybe it’ll be a music open mic.

When he looks back to Baekhyun, his friend is grinning at him. “You like it.”

“Yeah.” There’s no use in being dishonest. The ambiance exudes relaxation, a reprieve from the world. He’s comfortable in this kind of environment. “You win. What do you want?”

“I’ll call the favor in later.” The expression on Baekhyun’s face screams that he’s up to something Kyungsoo wouldn’t like. He proceeds to hum in a cheerful manner.

Kyungsoo narrows his eyes at this behavior. “If it’s anything embarrassing, you can forget all about it. I will kick your ass to kingdom come.”

“Don’t be a party pooper, Kyungsoo.” Baekhyun continues to smile in spite of the threat. “Besides, it’s not something you haven’t already done.”

The corner of Kyungsoo’s mouth twitches. “As if the things I’ve had to endure because of you haven’t been embarrassing at all.”

Baekhyun’s eyes seem to look well into Kyungsoo’s mind for a moment. “I’m sure you enjoyed some of them. And you’ll enjoy what I have in mind for this favor.”

“Very reassuring.” Kyungsoo grimaces.

It’s not until after they’ve finished their food and are wasting their time away with slow drinking that Baekhyun calls the favor in. One of the staff is standing on stage and calling everyone’s attention.

“Good evening, everyone! Tonight, we’ll start the open mic with a new customer.” The woman turns her head to look straight at Kyungsoo who looks back in horror as realization sinks into him.

“You fucking didn’t. You fucking did not, Byun Baekhyun.” Kyungsoo whispers in outrage, still staring at the meaningful gaze of the woman.

Baekhyun laughs his heart out. “But I fucking did, Do Kyungsoo. Go ahead. Everyone’s waiting. And don’t worry. I told them your favorite song.”

“Mr. Customer, if you will please come up to the stage.”

“Fuck you, Baekhyun.” Kyungsoo raises his middle finger at his highly amused friend as he unwillingly gets up. He can see the other customers turning their heads and staring at him.

The woman welcomes him to the stage with a smile. Sunmi, her name tag says. She reassures him with a “Don’t worry. All our customers are very polite. I can vouch for most of them.”

“It’s okay not to take my glasses off, right? My eyes,” Kyungsoo trails off, not finishing his sentence.

Sunmi nods, still with a bright smile. “Feel free. Open mic, full respect. Free choice.”

Kyungsoo gives back an awkward smile. She hands him the mic with a whisper of encouragement. And then, he’s left all by himself in the stage that now seems rather large. The awkward silence pushes him to clear his throat and speak.

“Hello. My name is Kyungsoo.” The awkward introduction is followed by a smile and a bow. Customers clap lightly. Baekhyun shouts among them. “The noisy person over there is the reason I’m on here right now. Sorry about him.”

The crowd laughs as they look to Baekhyun who isn’t at all ashamed. He looks rather proud and even has the audacity to wink at Kyungsoo. It makes the latter chuckle and shake his head.

“He says he chose my favorite. We’ll see if he actually knows my favorite. Or he’s just trying to embarrass me.” The welcome atmosphere of the crowd puts Kyungsoo’s nerves at ease. He can do this. He has done this. He nods to Sunmi who instantly plays the music.

The snap makes Kyungsoo smile as he begins to sing. He closes his eyes to the song of his favorite composer Yoo Youngjin, Tell Me What Is Love. It’s nice to know Baekhyun still remembers how he loves to sing this particular song whenever someone prompts him to belt out some tune.

As he plays with the last note, Kyungsoo opens his eyes. Mesmerized gazes look back at him. Loud claps and whistles follow the end. Baekhyun even shouts, “That’s my friend!”

“Thank you so much,” he manages to greet out over the clapping. He bows and turns to Sunmi. She’s looking awestruck at him and quickly gathers herself to clap enthusiastically. The mic sits on his outstretched hand even as Baekhyun riles everyone up to make him sing one more.

“One more song! One more song!”

“Please, one more song, Kyungsoo-ssi.” Sunmi implores with an expectant face.

By the time Kyungsoo and Baekhyun leave the bistro, Kyungsoo has sung two songs and a duet with Baekhyun. The latter also sang two songs after him. The management and customers successfully pen them in as semi-permanent acts for weekend open mic sessions.

“I can’t believe you.” Kyungsoo elbows Baekhyun as they walk home.

Baekhyun laughs in a carefree manner, staring up into the night sky. He holds onto the crook of Kyungsoo’s elbow. “You enjoyed it and you know it. Now, you have an excuse to get out of our apartment.”

Kyungsoo’s other hand reaches out to flick Baekhyun’s temple. “Who said I want to go out?”

“Uhh, you did.” Baekhyun replies in a matter of fact tone while looking seriously at Kyungsoo. “ _Find me something of interest_ , you said. Well, here’s something interesting. Let’s make your life fun!”

There’s nothing to stop the smirk that tugs at Kyungsoo’s lips. “Fun. I can live with this fun.”

 

A welcome feeling of contentment spreads across Kyungsoo’s life. Monotony no longer hangs so heavily upon him like a stormy cloud. While everything is still so _monochrome_ , it seems to have taken a more cheerful hue. The sentiment might seem strange but things are not so _dreary_ as people would like to describe.

Computer programming brings him joy again. The satisfaction of navigating through logic and formulae is back, no longer dampened by the modifications he needs to use to complete his task. His co-workers are less cautious around him and his glasses.

Sometimes, he thinks he imagines it but there’s a burst of color that floods his vision. At times of particular joy or contentment, Kyungsoo swears he might have seen the color _red_. Just like the glasses he wears. It’s impossible, however.

 

I was wrong, Kyungsoo thinks to himself in great wonder and bewilderment. The weird phenomena lasts for the longest seven seconds of Kyungsoo’s life. He can still hear Baekhyun panicking over him, still see the waving hand.

“Kyungsoo! Kyungsoo, what’s wrong? Answer me!” The waving hand disappears only to clamp onto his shoulder with another hand on the other side. He’s shaken to the present.

It takes a few blinks and a shake of his head before Kyungsoo replies. “I- I think I just saw the color red, Baekhyun. I saw- I saw it.”

“What?” Baekhyun stares in overflowing confusion. “What are you talking about? I thought you’re completely colorblind.”

“I am! But I’m also sure I just saw the color red! I know it. It’s the color of my glasses.” Kyungsoo touches the lenses before taking the glasses off him and looking at it in wonder. It’s back to being grey - or maybe black.

“I want to believe you, okay? It’s just- This is pretty hard to believe. I mean, you’re colorblind. Completely. And then, you saw _red_? Kyungsoo, are you sure you haven’t ingested any hallucinogens or something?” Baekhyun eyes Kyungsoo with a dubious expression.

Kyungsoo reaches out to squeeze his friend’s arm painfully. “I’ve been sitting on this fucking couch for three hours now and slaving away on my laptop. With you sitting across me! Plus, I haven’t ingested anything besides coffee and bread.”

“Okay, okay. Please let go now,” Baekhyun begs. He moves away once released and sits back on his chair. “If you really did see red, then does that mean you’re getting better?”

A grimace makes its way to Kyungsoo’s lips. His tone is grim as he speaks, “I doubt it. Doctors have told me there’s no chance of recovery from achromatopsia. I inherited it at birth. It’s not a temporary disability.”

Awkward silence passes between them. Baekhyun clears his throat and says, “Maybe you’ll be the first one to see color then!”

“I’m not as optimistic as you. It’s just,” Kyungsoo trails off for a moment before continuing, “strange. It’s strange.”

“You can try going for a check-up. Get some scientific evidence.” The chair whirls around as Baekhyun kicks his feet off the floor. “It’s weird, you know. Seeing color out of the blue. Could be a fluke but maybe not. Let’s just bet on the chance that it isn’t!”

Kyungsoo remains silent, a far away look upon his face. The childish desire to see color resurfaces. He thought he had been over craving for an impossible dream. Now that the opportunity is presenting itself, he feels quite torn.

On one hand, he has accepted his condition and has learned to _thrive_ in it. On the other hand, he wouldn’t mind seeing what all the fuss was about _colors_. His mind goes back to the present and he smiles wistfully at Baekhyun.

“If you’re betting on it, I think there might be some hope.”

 

It’s a first that something Baekhyun bets on loses. The doctors are no help. Kyungsoo’s family sends him piteous messages and calls once they’ve learned of his ventures. He wishes he could bear to shout at them that he isn’t desperate or depressed. It takes a little more effort to remember that they have good intentions despite their decidedly ignorant actions.

For a few days, Baekhyun walks on eggshells around him until he chokes him enough to get his point across. No, he doesn’t blame Baekhyun. He isn’t too disappointed at how things have turned out. Fretting over seeing color doesn’t become him.

The feeling of happiness slowly returns to his everyday. There’s a lack of feeling broken or inadequate. He has a good friend living with him. He has a stable and fun job. He has a hobby that other people appreciate. Most of all, he can see a world only a few are privileged to explore. A few weeks of griping and settling down, Kyungsoo feels blessed again.

 

Color floods Kyungsoo in his dreams. At least, that’s what he thinks as he looks around the apartment now filled with hues beyond his imagination. He even talks to himself in astonishment, “Yep. Definitely dreaming right now.”

Then again, this is beyond his imagination. He has never dreamed of color like this. It’s always been in shades of black, white, and grey. Because no matter how much he wills it, the concept of color is elusive to him. Or has been, considering how much he’s seeing at the moment.

“Fuck.” The curse comes out of his mouth in a mixture of awe and bewilderment. He doesn’t know the names of the colors all around him but it’s beautiful - as beautiful as his monochrome world.

The urge to touch everything overwhelms him. He finds himself gingerly touching things he has always grasped without a second thought. They seem strange to him, to be so different and yet still very much the same.

The sound of the security pin being keyed in flies by his mind. But as the door opens, he turns around and sees Baekhyun coming in. Kyungsoo doesn’t think he can describe how extraordinary it is to see his best friend.

“Kyungsoo, you really should come with me and Hyejin and hang out, you know.” Baekhyun smiles before quickly closing the door. He’s learned to do so once he realized how much Kyungsoo likes to take his glasses off in their apartment at night. The harsh light from the hallway always irritates his friend. His eyes drift to Kyungsoo’s hand. “Uhh why are you holding a knife? I swear I didn’t borrow your underwear again!”

“Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo can only say his friend name in a question, as if unsure of everything.

“Are you sleepwalking or something? Kyungsoo, wake up! Coming home to you holding a knife is actually very scary.” Baekhyun walks backward with a nervous chuckle.

At the second mention of the knife, Kyungsoo looks down at his hand before putting it away. He turns his head again to Baekhyun whose posture is now relaxed. “Baek, am I dreaming?”

Baekhyun pulls a face. “If your dreams consist of murdering me in our apartment, I’m filing an annulment.”

“Stop joking around.” Kyungsoo’s lips pull down into a scowl. “I’m serious. This is real, right. I mean, I’m not actually asleep in my bed right now.”

The growing distress from his friend urges Baekhyun to walk over and clasp Kyungsoo’s shoulders. “Hey, you’re real. I’m real. This shitty apartment is real.”

“Okay.” The jab at their apartment doesn’t escape Kyungsoo’s notice and he lightly punches Baekhyun’s side. “If it’s shitty, it’s because of you.”

“There’s my Kyungsoo. Now, what got you all worked up?” The relief of calming down his friend washes over Baekhyun. He moves back and sits on his chair.

Instead of answering the question, Kyungsoo pipes in a question of his own. “What color is your hair?”

Baekhyun raises an eyebrow but answers anyway, “Brown? Hyejin says this shade reminds her of puppies.”

“Brown.” Kyungsoo repeats as he stares at Baekhyun’s hair. So this is brown, almost like their table and the cabinets. He guesses even the door is some shade of brown. “It’s brown. How about the shirt you’re wearing?”

“Uhh it’s light blue? What’s with the color questions, Kyungsoo?” Baekhyun’s eyes move from his polo to his friend’s contemplative expression. It’s rare for Kyungsoo to engage in a discussion of color like this.

That is light blue. Light blue is the sky on a sunny day. He knows because people have always described it in such a manner. Giddiness starts to bubble up inside him. He can’t help the smile that stretches his lips and cheeks. “Light blue like the sky! And the flowers on my mug!”

“Yeah. Like the flowers on your mug.” Baekhyun readily agrees, looking at said mug, before his head whips back to his friend. “Wh- What? I don’t think I’ve ever told you that. How- How do you-”

Kyungsoo's smile widens and it hurts his cheeks a little but he can’t help it. “I can see it, Baekhyun! I can see colors!”

The rest of the night is a tiresome game of what else is this color or that color. But Kyungsoo feels wonderful. The world is so interesting. In spite of the almost impossibility of falling asleep, Kyungsoo rests his head in his room because the world is starting to flicker back to his blacks, whites, and greys. It dampens his mood and Baekhyun ushers him to sleep, even opting to snuggle for comfort.

Kyungsoo wakes up to his monochrome world and convinces himself it’s not such a big loss to unsee the colors. He tries to remember how proud he is of his view - just as beautiful as everyone else’s, just as astonishing as its multicolored flipside. Eventually, he finds that his brief stint with colors made his monochrome view all the more interesting. He differentiates the shades by the colors Baekhyun tells him of. This new understanding fills him with contentment.

 

At one point in the next weeks, Kyungsoo thinks there must be something wrong with him. Or his eyes. Color bursts into his vision at random moments and lasting longer each time. Seeing red all of a sudden never fails to startle him during work. It’s difficult especially when he’s working at their building instead of from the apartment.

“Maybe you should go to a doctor.” The suggestion is met with a scoff. Kyungsoo is definitely steering away from doctors and their disbelief, no matter how many times Baekhyun whines about it.

“No. I’m fine. If I can see color at random times, then I can see color at random times. I will not have people second guessing what I know is true. This is my body. These are my eyes.” Kyungsoo chews in an angered manner to which Baekhyun shakes his head in resignation and continues to eat.

Kyungsoo’s temperament gets better. Once he starts analyzing his unique situation, one thing becomes clear. The feeling of happiness or contentment or calm are prevalent each time he sees color. It’s as if the ability hinges on a sense of fulfillment deep in his soul. He marvels at the idea. It’s like magic in his life.

Since then, the bursts of color becomes less random and more predictable. Willing them to appear isn’t an option but making himself feel a genuine sense of well-being is. Kyungsoo finds himself actively seeking to make his life better - make himself feel better.

 

“Excuse me,” a voice disrupts Kyungsoo’s time to wind down.

Kyungsoo turns around to see a man looming near him in a nervous state. He recognizes him as a face in the crowd when he sings here at the bistro. Deciding to spare some cheer, he smiles while prompting, “Yes? Is there anything you need?”

The man returns it with a warm smile. “I just wanted to say you sound amazing. You make me feel so relaxed. Thank you.”

“Oh. Thank you.” Red bursts into Kyungsoo’s vision as the feeling of elation fills him up to the brim. It feels incredible to be complimented like that. He wonders what he looks like with his cheeks flushed like this.

The man’s smile widens before he bows and walks away. Kyungsoo is left giddy at the echoing compliment and the redness of everything. Red is a nice color, he surmises.

 

From then on, the stranger pops up after Kyungsoo is done singing to greet him with praise. The initial feeling of elation mellows down. Kyungsoo asks for a name by the third time - Kim Jongin, the man with the nice smile and endless compliments.

Conversation between them become longer and longer. It flows easily despite their awkwardness. Eventually, Kyungsoo finds himself inviting Jongin to sit down with him at the table. The other accepts graciously.

“So why is it that Baekhyun-ssi isn’t here as often as you, hyung?” Jongin asks out of curiosity. He continues to stare at Kyungsoo in the eye, unsure if the other is looking as well.

The question brings a smile to Kyungsoo’s lips. “He has a girlfriend. They like eating dinner together and going out to karaoke with some of their friends.”

“Oh,” Jongin is abruptly silent, as if wanting to voice a thought out and yet holding it back. He starts to open his mouth but Kyungsoo interrupts him.

“If you’re hesitating about asking me why I’m not with them, you can ask. It won’t make me feel bad.” Kyungsoo smiles indulgently after to reassure the other more.

Jongin stalls for a brief moment before saying, “It feels weird to ask once you’ve said that. But, do you go with them sometimes?”

“Yeah,” Kyungsoo nods. “But I like being here more. I guess I never really learned to socialize better. I mean, they’re great friends! I just tire easily from get togethers.”

A nod and brief chuckle meet the statement. “I get what you mean. My friends are awesome people to be with but I like being alone most of the time.”

The shared sense of camaraderie builds up between them. Kyungsoo gulps down a mouthful of water before speaking again, “Is this place your getaway too?”

“My super secret hiding place actually.” Jongin tries to keep a straight face but ends up laughing. “I like to think they don’t know about this place but they do.”

Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow. “I feel like there’s more to that story. Do I dare ask?”

“That depends on whether your friends like to stalk you like mine do.” Jongin’s tone is playful and light rather than resentful. It makes Kyungsoo imagine a couple of Baekhyun’s stalking him in a comical manner which makes him laugh. Jongin’s expression changes to confused amusement. “Either my miserable friends are laughable or you’re laughing at my situation.”

“No, no,” Kyungsoo shakes his head and hands before composing himself. “I just thought of Baekhyun trying to stalk me. It was very funny in my head.”

The reply causes Jongin to shake his head with a smile. His fingers dance around his glass of lemonade as he speaks again, “If he ever does, you’ll find out how annoying it is. But my friends have good intentions. I hope.”

“Let me guess, they want to know where to find you just in case.” Kyungsoo’s lips quirk up to a smirk. To him, it started with his family always hounding him where he was and it eventually passed on to Baekhyun. Their worrying has caused him to get into the habit of texting where he’s going to and when he’s going home.

“Ah, a companion in the same boat? Cheers.” Jongin raises his glass with a grin that has Kyungsoo doing the same.

“Cheers.”

 

Sparse evening conversations with Jongin turn into frequent calls and messages. It seems to Kyungsoo that he’s found another friend. The thought causes a sense of accomplishment and a burst of color. He smiles as he looks around the apartment and says a silent thanks to Jongin in his mind.

Later, Baekhyun looks at him with a manic expression while stating, “You found someone.”

The abrupt and bold declaration causes Kyungsoo confusion. “What?”

“You found someone! You’re hanging out with someone!” An accusatory finger points at Kyungsoo who slaps it away from his face. “Are you dating?”

Kyungsoo’s expression turns sour and his tone is affronted. “Dating? How many times do I have to remind you I’m not interested?”

“But you’re smiling more often? And you seem happier?” Baekhyun turns docile and confused. To Kyungsoo, he almost looks like a small animal that has been reprimanded. “Isn’t there someone?”

It takes a few deep breaths before Kyungsoo calms down. He feels like he’s talking to a child. “Baekhyun, I’ve been happier for a long time. I’ve been seeing color for a long time. I think you’re just inclined to attribute it to another person rather than me just feeling great about myself or my life. And I understand why you would think that way but no. I make myself happy, okay?”

For a long moment, there’s only silence. Eventually, Baekhyun nods. “Yeah. Okay. I just thought it might have been that guy. You know I’m not opposed to other sexual orientations. Did you know Hyejin and Wheein are bisexual? Oh fuck. I don’t think it was okay for me to out them like that. Hyejin is going to kill me. Please don’t tell her!”

Kyungsoo lets Baekhyun work himself up a little before helping him calm down. “Hey, Baek. It’s fine. They told me already.”

“What?” Baekhyun almost screams the question at Kyungsoo’s face. “When? Why wasn’t I informed?”

“It was that one time back when you and Hyejin first started dating and all four of us went to the chicken place down her street.” Kyungsoo leans back on his chair. “You were calling Joohyun and the others to join us for karaoke and they asked about me being single. I told them I’m not interested and they said ‘Oh you’re aromantic. Cool. We’re bisexual.’ That’s the short version anyway. Your girlfriend is great.”

“She is.” Baekhyun nods with a mesmerized look before snapping back to the conversation at hand. “But damn. You got to know before I did.”

Kyungsoo shrugs while smirking. “Those in the community stick together. Besides, women are perceptive. They could tell I’m also not interested in women.”

“You’re only telling me now?” Griping doesn’t become Baekhyun. Neither does sulking. Baekhyun is already taking out their comfort ice cream before Kyungsoo can even reply.

His amusing friend makes Kyungsoo laugh a little. “It doesn’t matter. I’m not letting you be matchmaker. I have standards.”

It’s Baekhyun’s turn to look affronted. “As if I would let you have sex with some random guy. Of course I’ll make sure he fits your kinks.”

“My kinks?” Kyungsoo raises an eyebrow, laughter bubbling up from inside him. “How would you know my kinks?”

“The walls are thin, my good friend.” Baekhyun manages to speak sagely while shoving a spoonful of ice cream. “Besides, someone taught me how to retrieve deleted internet history.”

Kyungsoo’s eyes narrow and his lips purse into a thin line. “Jongdae.”

“Esatto, mio amico! Bravo!” Baekhyun claps enthusiastically while Kyungsoo rolls his eyes at the random change in language. He still thinks it was incredibly silly of his friend to take up Italian to impress people, specifically women. Although, taking up the language has opened some opportunities for his friend.

“Shǎzi,” Kyungsoo retorts in Mandarin. The insult flies over Baekhyun’s head. His friend has long decided it was Kyungsoo’s term of endearment just like all the other ways in which Kyungsoo calls him an idiot.

“Mi ami.” Baekhyun winks before scooping up another spoonful, completely confident in their friendship.

Once Kyungsoo starts to laugh at their strangeness, Baekhyun soon follows. They share the ice cream as Baekhyun asks if Jongin wouldn’t fit Kyungsoo’s standards. “You seem to like each other well enough to talk everyday.”

“I can think of two wrong things about your statement. One, he might not be gay. Two, he might want a relationship that I don’t want to have.” Kyungsoo snatches the tub of ice cream and takes a heaping spoonful before giving it back to Baekhyun.

“Or you could be as awesome as I am and find out instead of never knowing.” Baekhyun cradles the tub away from Kyungsoo’s hands.

In retaliation, Kyungsoo kicks Baekhyun’s thigh. “Hand over the ice cream or I’ll kick somewhere more painful next time. And are you willfully stupid? What are the chances of meeting a cute gay in our country who doesn’t mind me being aromantic and not thinking I just gave up on the idea because I’m colorblind?”

Baekhyun scoots up and glues himself to Kyungsoo while giving his friend the holy tub of ice cream. “I don’t always understand your struggles but I try to. And yeah. It seems like you’re up against impossible odds here. Backed up by past experiences no less. But hey, you just have to keep hoping. I mean, you see colors sometimes! That’s a miracle right there. I don’t think it’s so bad to hope for another one.”

Kyungsoo stares at the melting ice cream before his eyes turn to his phone. It’s showing he has a message from Jongin. “Another miracle, huh?”

 

“Invite him to join us for dinner.”

“You better hope this goes well or I’m telling Hyejin about your kink for crossdressing.”

 

Conversation flows between Hyejin and Jongin. It leaves Kyungsoo and Baekhyun to stare at the phenomenon. Kyungsoo is beginning to doubt about Jongin’s supposed affinity to being alone. The other is surprisingly great at making conversation with strangers.

“Are you guys sure this is the first time you’ve met?” Baekhyun decides to voice out the question bugging both him and his friend. Hyejin and Jongin look at each other before looking back at Baekhyun.

“Technically,” Hyejin answers. “But I have seen him frequently in a bar. I’m pretty sure it was him.”

Jongin nods. “I’m sure that was you I saw too. You’re pretty memorable.”

“Touché.” Hyejin raises her glass before drinking.

Baekhyun stares open-mouthed for a moment before declaring, “I’m feeling oddly jealous right now.”

To this, Kyungsoo and Hyejin snort. Hyejin holds Baekhyun’s chin in between her fingers and makes him look at her. “I like your honesty. And no, there’s nothing to be jealous of.”

“Okay.” Baekhyun smiles at her before kissing her cheek. “That makes me feel a lot better.”

Kyungsoo nudges Jongin’s side with his elbow. When Jongin turns to look at him, he raises an eyebrow. “A bar? Here I was thinking you like your solitude.”

The darker shade across Jongin’s cheeks and neck is unmistakable. Kyungsoo is sure it’s a blush. “I do. But I like company sometimes too. And it feels nice to get lost in the music.”

“You should see him,” Hyejin slides back into the conversation. “He’s got skill. And his friend too. Well, I’m assuming he’s a friend.”

“He is. And thanks. I work part-time as a dance instructor. My friend is full-time.” Jongin smiles, looking sheepish when he glances back to Kyungsoo.

“Now you _have_ to tell me where you work so I can sign up. I’ve always wanted to try learning dance and it’ll be great knowing the instructor.” Baekhyun hands his phone to Jongin with an expectant look. “Please!”

Once again, Kyungsoo and Hyejin react the same, shaking their heads in amused exasperation over Baekhyun. Jongin looks equally amused and types in the name of the studio. When his phone is handed back, Baekhyun gives a wink and a thumbs up to Kyungsoo who barely manages not to punch his friend.

Instead, Kyungsoo kicks Baekhyun and shoves delicious meat into his own mouth. He wills himself to peek at Jongin, only to find him looking embarrassed. When he hears Hyejin snicker, he looks at her and sees a smug expression on her face.

“What?” Kyungsoo manages to blurt out.

“You should come with me and Wheein next time, Kyungsoo. I’m sure you’ll love it.” Hyejin pats Baekhyun’s head when he asks why he’s not invited. “If you behave yourself, I’ll let you come. But you have to understand, that area is for _us_.”

It’s the emphasis that makes Kyungsoo connect the dots. His head whips to Jongin who gives a shaky grin. Kyungsoo jumps a little when red fills his vision. He lets out a soft “Oh!”

Kyungsoo loathes to admit that Baekhyun might be right. It might not be so bad to hope. There’s a little spark that came to life once he saw Jongin smiling like that in dizzying hues of red.

 

“Kyungsoo, I’ve got a good feeling about Jongin.”

“I think I might too, Hyejin.”

 

“Oh, by the way, I think you’ll love to know that Baekhyun looks great in a dress and heels.”

“Really? Thanks for letting me know, Kyungsoo. I’ll help you out with Jongin.”

 

Kyungsoo tries not to laugh when Baekhyun comes home one morning with smudges of makeup on his face and a soreness to his feet. It looks so good in colors, from the red lips to the bluish hickeys peeking from Baekhyun’s shirt. He gives his friend a thumbs up.

“Vattela a pigliare in culo.” Baekhyun murmurs while flipping his middle finger. It pushes Kyungsoo to stop holding back his laughter. He’s pretty sure Baekhyun just swore at him with something about his ass. It’s funny how easier it is to learn insults and swears.

“Did you know you tend to switch to Italian when your mind is jumbled up? Must have been a really great night.” Kyungsoo snickers as Baekhyun hobbles over to his room.

Baekhyun flips the middle finger again. “Up yours, Soo. Just you wait until I tell Jongin all about your kinks.”

“You know I’ll retaliate and tell Hyejin yours, right? But don’t worry. Judging by how you look decent, she takes good care of you.” Kyungsoo grins and gives another thumbs up.

Baekhyun smirks and gives a thumbs up as well. “Very great care. And don’t worry. I’ll make sure Jongin does to you too.”

“Up yours, Baek.”

“Already did last night.” The smug and satisfied expression on Baekhyun’s face throws Kyungsoo off into stunned silence. Baekhyun laughs before going inside his room.

“Byun Baekhyun, what?”

 

Jongin’s laughter coaxes out Kyungsoo’s own. The warm tone makes Kyungsoo imagine melted ice cream on a sunny day. “I swear, Jongin. He threw me a curveball!”

“I can’t say I’m surprised, Kyungsoo. He seems like the type.” Jongin’s voice is calm as it drifts into Kyungsoo’s mind from his phone. “Or at least, he seems the type to be open about it.”

“Yeah. I shouldn’t be so surprised. The crayfish sides with the crab.” Kyungsoo laughs a little. People surround themselves with similar people.

“Oh.” Jongin says before daring to ask, “Does that mean what I think it means?”

Kyungsoo laughs again. “If you’re saying I’m straight and I like it in the ass, then no. You’re wrong.”

“Not straight, then?” Jongin’s voice pitches up, almost sounding hopeful.

“Not straight. But,” Kyungsoo wavers a little. He doesn’t know how to tell Jongin. He hasn’t prepared the big reveal.

“You know you’re not obligated to tell me, right?” Jongin gives some reassurance. “I’m your friend but I won’t force you to admit things you’re not ready to. I’m not that kind of person.”

Kyungsoo replies softly, “I know.”

“That’s good. And you’ve probably guessed by now but I’m not straight too. I’m polysexual. I guess, the crayfish sides with the crab.” Jongin laughs. “Do you remember when I said I liked company sometimes?”

“Yeah?” Kyungsoo can already see where this is heading. He rolls around on his bed.

Jongin’s voice is low and almost a whisper when he speaks again, “Yeah. I sometimes go to the bar to find someone. No strings attached though. I’m not really into relationships. And so are half of the people there.”

“Are you trying to tell me you’re single? Or you like having sex?” Kyungsoo’s face scrunches up in confusion.

There’s silence for a long while and then Jongin lets out a whine. “I wasn’t implying anything. But yes I do like sex and I am single. I can’t do relationships. Romantic ones anyway. I’m all for friendships. Let’s just put that out there already.”

“Oh,” is the only word Kyungsoo manages to say.

“Yeah, oh. I don’t know, Kyungsoo. I’m saying this because I trust you.” Jongin takes a deep breath. His voice is a little shaky. “I don’t think I feel love in the romantic sense. Everyone around me keeps going on about love but I don’t get it. And I don’t think it’s just because I haven’t found the right person.”

Kyungsoo wills himself to ask, “Was it your family or your friends that told you? Or both?”

“Both. They don’t really get it. But-” Jongin’s breath hitches and he blurts out, “but I feel like you do.”

“Yeah.” Kyungsoo nods despite no one being there to see him. “Yeah I do. I feel like that too.”

Jongin’s laugh sounds almost like he can’t believe it’s real. Kyungsoo knows because he’s thinking along the same lines and laughs together with Jongin. “Unbelievable.”

The little spark of hope burns brighter. Kyungsoo finds himself staring at his cream-colored pillowcase. “I know. It is. I’m- Baekhyun said it wouldn’t be so bad to hope for another miracle. I guess he’s right again.”

“He does seem to have good intuition about these things.” Jongin’s laugh is soft and pulls a smile from Kyungsoo. “Do you want to talk more tomorrow? Maybe meet up?”

“I’m working at our building tomorrow. But there’s a good noodle place across the street. I can leave early and we’ll have dinner?” Kyungsoo pokes at his pillow, watching it rise again and again.

“I’d love that.” The last word comes out as a yawn. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Soo. Sleep well.”

“You too, Jongin.”

Once the call has ended, Kyungsoo turns in bed to look at the cracks on his white ceiling. Maybe he should paint something to look at on it. He could feel all the possibilities cropping up. It’s a giddy kind of feeling that washes over him. It seems so strange to find someone when it’s probably a one-in-a-trillion chance of happening.

He plays around with the idea of soulmates before scratching it off. It’s not like he only began to see color when Jongin appeared in his life. He’s the one to make the colors appear - not anyone else. Though, Jongin _is_ a very attractive addition to his list of things that make him see color.

 

Kyungsoo looks around at their table. Their large group is causing a little more noise than the bistro is used to. But seeing as everyone is performing for open mic, the manager takes it all in stride. Kyungsoo shakes his head a little.

“What’s up?” Jongin nudges Kyungsoo, smile ready to alleviate any worries.

“Everyone’s noisy.” Kyungsoo purses his lips before breaking into a smile. “I think I can live with a little noise.”

Jongin’s smile widens in response. “It’s not like we can escape them anyway.”

Kyungsoo laughs and shakes his head. “No. I don’t think we can.”

They both lapse into silence as they watch their friends come together and mesh along well. Hyejin notices them and says, “So when are you two getting together?”

Kyungsoo and Jongin pull a face at the same time which makes everyone laugh. They reply, “We’re friends.”

Hyejin looks at Wheein and their expressions change into what Kyungsoo always uses when he’s lecturing Baekhyun. It leaves Kyungsoo feeling queasy being at the receiving end.

“Men,” comes Hyejin’s reply. All the women at the table nod in agreement. She explains, “There is such a thing called queer platonic relationship. To make it simple for both of you, you’re together but not in a romantic sense. Got it?”

“Oh,” Jongin looks at Kyungsoo who turns to look back. Everyone is silent as they stare, anticipation rising. Kyungsoo can hear Baekhyun’s excited giggles.

A little strung up, Kyungsoo blurts out, “Wanna be in that relationship Hyejin just said?”

“Okay. Yeah. Love to.” Jongin nods eagerly. The table erupts in cheer and everyone sings happy love songs dedicated to “a special couple” during open mic while Kyungsoo itches to not see red and look at everyone in color because it’s such a happy night.

 

“Kyungsoo, does this mean we can have sex?”

“You’re sex-crazed. But yes. Yes we can.”

“Hey, that’s offensive. I’m just a healthy young man. Also, Baekhyun told me some interesting things. Don’t worry. I like them too.”

 

“Tie him up, Hyejin. Just please tie him up and gag him.”

“I’ll see if we both like it.”

 

Seeing color no longer fazes Kyungsoo. It’s become so frequent he sometimes forgets that he was originally colorblind. Switching from monochrome to multicolor is almost a daily occurrence. One that he realizes he’s forgotten to tell Jongin.

“Your skin looks amazing. The color is so vibrant.” Kyungsoo says in an almost reverent tone as his hands touch the silk on Jongin’s chest down to his abdomen. He feels the muscles tense and he looks up at Jongin in confusion. “Are you having second thoughts about sex?”

“What? No. But you-” Jongin looks as confused as Kyungsoo. “You said something about the color of my skin.”

“Yeah. It’s like the golden brown of autumn.” Kyungsoo’s lips quirk into a smile at the thought. He’s finally seen autumn and it looks so pretty.

The statement leaves Jongin looking more confused. “Kyungsoo, you’re colorblind. I really think you wouldn’t lie about that.”

That seems to pull Kyungsoo’s mind back to reality and the situation at hand. “Oh. Oh fuck.”

“Unless you are? Which is mean and abusive to people who are actually colorblind.” Jongin frowns, hands leaving Kyungsoo’s waist.

“I am colorblind! It’s just-” Kyungsoo pulls away and sits down on his bed, looking a little lost. “I don’t know if you’ll believe me.”

“Kyungsoo, we’re both queer, aromantic, and in a relationship. Chances of that are _extremely_ slim. So I’m very open to whatever you’re gonna say.” Jongin sits up and across Kyungsoo.

Kyungsoo plays with his bedsheet for a moment before speaking. “I was born with achromatopsia. My world has been monochrome all my life. But recently…” Kyungsoo takes a breath. “Recently, I’ve been seeing color. It was random and brief at first. But now, I can see for a longer time, almost everyday. And I’ve noticed, it’s because I felt happy or content. Sometimes just really calm. And I know it sounds crazy but it’s true.”

Jongin takes Kyungsoo’s hand and Kyungsoo looks up to see a grin on Jongin’s face. “So you’re happy when you’re with me?”

The comment makes Kyungsoo laugh and nod. “Yeah, you crazy aromantic. Most of the time, I see color with you.”

“That’s great. We make each other happy then.” Jongin squeezes Kyungsoo’s hands.

“You’re not surprised? Or skeptical? Or even the least bit confused?” Kyungsoo’s eyebrows scrunch together.

To the questions, Jongin merely shrugs. “It seems you’ve already found an explanation. Good feelings make you see color. Isn’t that as straightforward as you can get?”

“You’re strange, Jongin.” Kyungsoo smiles.

“I’m not the one who likes to be fucked while the other person is in a dress.” Jongin looks down at the pink negligee on his body. “And panties. Let’s not forget the panties.”

“Shut up, Jongin. You agreed.” Kyungsoo pushes Jongin down and climbs on top of him. “Besides, you’re turned on too.”

Jongin pulls Kyungsoo down for a kiss. When they part, he winks and smiles. “I am. That makes two strange people in this room.”

Instead of answering with words, Kyungsoo kisses Jongin again. With the seeing color issue out of the way, they can go right back to what they’re supposed to be doing. Kyungsoo concludes that pink is a nice color on Jongin.

 

Half of the time, Kyungsoo’s world is still monochrome and he likes it. He likes having his familiar, unique, and _beautiful_ world. The other half, color splashes all over. It’s _exciting_ and pretty. He thinks his heart and soul are at ease. No matter how many stresses and hurdles he faces, he finds his place with a feeling of contentment with his life. He makes his own life _vibrant_.

 

“I think we’re soulmates.”

“What makes you think so?”

“You called us meeting and getting together a miracle. I think that about sums it up, Soo. We’re meant to be together.”

“I guess we are.”

“Do you think pink hair will suit me?”

“Definitely.”

“...you can’t see color right now, can you? You’re only saying that because of the pink negligee.”

“I am.”

“Okay fine. Pink it is.”

 

“So we both like switching.”

“Baekhyun, I’m not discussing my sex life with you.”

“But you tell Hyejin!”

“She’s cool. Now stop bugging me and go back to your own apartment with her. Jongin’s coming home.”

“Ooh steamy se- okay! Leaving now! Don’t throw that knife at me!”

“Tell Hyejin I said hi.”

**Author's Note:**

> This story came about because I wanted to explore aromanticism in a soulmate au. Although it seems to have evolved into something else. It's still tied into a soulmate au where you're colorblind until you find your soulmate. Kyungsoo is one of the first people to experience it. At least, that's what I was going for. Haha! Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this.


End file.
